Virginia

Virginia Licensing Overview

Virginia licenses 72 out of 102 lower-income occupations (more than half of the occupations included in the study) . The state’s licensing laws are more burdensome than most other states. The state's licensing laws rank 6th in the nation. Virginia licensed occupations includes occupations that are rarely licensed elsewhere. Few other states license Animal Control Officer (7 other), Upholsterer (9 other).

On average, Virginia requires $319 in licensing fees, 580 days of education and about 1 exam. Fees for a license exceed $1000 for Midwife, Direct Entry.

Which occupation in a Virginia is the most regulated?

Out of the 72 occupations that require an occupational license in Virginia, a license for Earth Driller, Water Well has the highest burden. A Earth Driller, Water Well license requires $460 in fees, 1 exams, 6 years experience, and 56 clock hours of education.

Which occupation in a Virginia is the least regulated?

Out of the 72 occupations that require an occupational license in Virginia, a license for Upholsterer has the lowest burden. A Upholsterer license requires $25 in fees, no exams, no experience, and no of education.

Which occupational license in Virginia is the most expensive?

An occupational license in Virginia costs the most for Midwife, Direct Entry. A Midwife, Direct Entry license requires $1577 in fees, 1 exams, no experience, and 2 years of education.

Which occupational license in Virginia is the least expensive?

An occupational license for in Virginia costs the least for Milk Sampler, Animal Control Officer where the license costs $0.

Which occupational license in Virginia takes the most time to obtain?

In Virginia, an occupational license takes the most time (due to required education/experience) for Earth Driller, Water Well. It takes 2203 days (6 years and 13 days) total. A Earth Driller, Water Well license requires $460 in fees, 1 exams, 6 years experience, and 56 clock hours of education.

Which occupational license in Virginia takes the least time to obtain?

In Virginia, an occupational license takes the least time due to required education/experience (0 days) for Bus Driver, City/Transit, Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer, Truck Driver, Other, Gaming Cage Worker, Gaming Dealer, Gaming Supervisor, Slot Supervisor, Weigher, Wildlife Control Operator, Milk Sampler, Fisher, Commercial, Travel Guide, Taxidermist, Upholsterer.

In Virginia, which occupational licenses require exams?

In Virginia, to obtain an occupational license there is at least one exam required for: Earth Driller, Water Well, HVAC Contractor (Commercial), HVAC Contractor (Residential), Sheet Metal Contractor, HVAC (Commercial), Sheet Metal Contractor, HVAC (Residential), Preschool Teacher, Public School, Coach, Head (High School Sports), Athletic Trainer, Security Alarm Installer, Midwife, Direct Entry, Optician, Carpenter/Cabinet Maker Contractor (Commercial), Carpenter/Cabinet Maker Contractor (Residential), Cement Finishing Contractor (Commercial), Cement Finishing Contractor (Residential), Door Repair Contractor (Commercial), Door Repair Contractor (Residential), Drywall Installation Contractor (Commercial), Drywall Installation Contractor (Residential), Fire Alarm Installer, Floor Sander Contractor (Commercial), Floor Sander Contractor (Residential), Glazier Contractor (Commercial), Glazier Contractor (Residential), Insulation Contractor (Commercial), Insulation Contractor (Residential), Iron/Steel Contractor (Commercial), Iron/Steel Contractor (Residential), Landscape Contractor (Commercial), Landscape Contractor (Residential), Mason Contractor (Commercial), Mason Contractor (Residential), Painting Contractor (Commercial), Painting Contractor (Residential), Paving Contractor (Commercial), Paving Contractor (Residential), Pipelayer Contractor, Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Commercial), Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Residential), Terrazzo Contractor (Commercial), Terrazzo Contractor (Residential), Mobile Home Installer, Veterinary Technician, Vegetation Pesticide Applicator, Pest Control Applicator, Cosmetologist, Barber, Pharmacy Technician, Massage Therapist, Skin Care Specialist, School Bus Driver, Bus Driver, City/Transit, Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer, Truck Driver, Other, Emergency Medical Technician, Auctioneer, Manicurist, Locksmith, Security Guard, Unarmed, Wildlife Control Operator, Milk Sampler. School Bus Driver requires 6 exams.

Virginia’s licensing laws for lower-income occupations are some of the worst in the nation, ranking as the seventh most burdensome. On average, Virginia law requires $291 in fees, 620 days of education and experience, and approximately one exam. Licensing more lower-income occupations than average—68 of the 102 studied here—Virginia is also the seventh most broadly and onerously licensed state.

Virginia licenses a number of occupations that most other states do not license, including animal control officers (licensed by six other states), upholsterers (nine others), locksmiths (13 others), commercial floor sander contractors (21 others) and commercial painting contractors (21 others). The latter two contractor occupations face particularly steep training requirements in Virginia, where aspirants must demonstrate an estimated 731 days of education and experience (two years of experience and eight hours of education). By comparison, on average, licensed states require fewer than 500 days of education and experience (485 for floor sander contractors and 488 days for painting contractors). Given that so few states see fit to license these occupations at all, Virginia’s requirements appear excessive.

Virginia also imposes burdens on some occupations that seem disproportionate compared to those for other occupations that may present a greater risk to public safety. For example, it takes roughly 63 days (nine credit hours) and $80 in fees to become a licensed EMT. Becoming a licensed landscape contractor, on the other hand, requires roughly 731 days (two years of experience and eight hours of education) and $320 in fees. Virginia could improve its rankings by reducing or repealing such heavy licensing burdens, or—if government regulation is necessary—by replacing them with less restrictive regulatory alternatives.

Burden Rank	Occupation	Number of States that License	Fees	Education/Experience (Days)	Education	Experience	Exams	Minimum Grade	Minimum Age
1	Earth Driller, Water Well	51	460	2203	56 clock hours	6 years	1	0	18
2	HVAC Contractor (Commercial)	37	720	1826	8 clock hours	5 years	2	0	18
2	HVAC Contractor (Residential)	35	720	1826	8 clock hours	5 years	2	0	18
2	Sheet Metal Contractor, HVAC (Commercial)	37	720	1826	8 clock hours	5 years	2	0	18
2	Sheet Metal Contractor, HVAC (Residential)	36	720	1826	8 clock hours	5 years	2	0	18
6	Preschool Teacher, Public School	50	595	1460	4 years & 1 clock hour	None	4	0	18
7	Coach, Head (High School Sports)	47	320	1461	4 years & 6 clock hours	None	3	0	18
8	Athletic Trainer	49	520	1460	4 years	None	1	0	0
9	Security Alarm Installer	37	700	1096	6 clock hours	3 years	1	0	18
10	Midwife, Direct Entry	37	1577	730	2 years	None	1	12	0
11	Optician	22	400	730	2 years	None	2	12	18
12	Carpenter/Cabinet Maker Contractor (Commercial)	25	320	731	8 clock hours	2 years	1	0	18
12	Carpenter/Cabinet Maker Contractor (Residential)	30	320	731	8 clock hours	2 years	1	0	18
12	Cement Finishing Contractor (Commercial)	24	320	731	8 clock hours	2 years	1	0	18
12	Cement Finishing Contractor (Residential)	30	320	731	8 clock hours	2 years	1	0	18
12	Door Repair Contractor (Commercial)	24	320	731	8 clock hours	2 years	1	0	18
12	Door Repair Contractor (Residential)	29	320	731	8 clock hours	2 years	1	0	18
12	Drywall Installation Contractor (Commercial)	25	320	731	8 clock hours	2 years	1	0	18
12	Drywall Installation Contractor (Residential)	30	320	731	8 clock hours	2 years	1	0	18
12	Fire Alarm Installer	39	320	731	8 clock hours	2 years	1	0	18
12	Floor Sander Contractor (Commercial)	22	320	731	8 clock hours	2 years	1	0	18
12	Floor Sander Contractor (Residential)	27	320	731	8 clock hours	2 years	1	0	18
12	Glazier Contractor (Commercial)	26	320	731	8 clock hours	2 years	1	0	18
12	Glazier Contractor (Residential)	30	320	731	8 clock hours	2 years	1	0	18
12	Insulation Contractor (Commercial)	24	320	731	8 clock hours	2 years	1	0	18
12	Insulation Contractor (Residential)	30	320	731	8 clock hours	2 years	1	0	18
12	Iron/Steel Contractor (Commercial)	26	320	731	8 clock hours	2 years	1	0	18
12	Iron/Steel Contractor (Residential)	30	320	731	8 clock hours	2 years	1	0	18
12	Landscape Contractor (Commercial)	47	320	731	8 clock hours	2 years	1	0	18
12	Landscape Contractor (Residential)	48	320	731	8 clock hours	2 years	1	0	18
12	Mason Contractor (Commercial)	26	320	731	8 clock hours	2 years	1	0	18
12	Mason Contractor (Residential)	31	320	731	8 clock hours	2 years	1	0	18
12	Painting Contractor (Commercial)	22	320	731	8 clock hours	2 years	1	0	18
12	Painting Contractor (Residential)	27	320	731	8 clock hours	2 years	1	0	18
12	Paving Contractor (Commercial)	24	320	731	8 clock hours	2 years	1	0	18
12	Paving Contractor (Residential)	28	320	731	8 clock hours	2 years	1	0	18
12	Pipelayer Contractor	27	320	731	8 clock hours	2 years	1	0	18
12	Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Commercial)	26	320	731	8 clock hours	2 years	1	0	18
12	Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Residential)	31	320	731	8 clock hours	2 years	1	0	18
12	Terrazzo Contractor (Commercial)	23	320	731	8 clock hours	2 years	1	0	18
12	Terrazzo Contractor (Residential)	28	320	731	8 clock hours	2 years	1	0	18
42	Mobile Home Installer	37	235	731	8 clock hours	2 years	1	0	18
43	Veterinary Technician	36	390	730	2 years	None	1	0	0
44	Vegetation Pesticide Applicator	51	250	365	1 year	None	3	0	18
45	Pest Control Applicator	51	250	365	1 year	None	2	0	18
46	Cosmetologist	51	277	350	1500 clock hours	None	2	0	0
47	Child Care Home, Family	44	83	91	None	3 months	0	12	18
48	Barber	51	277	257	1100 clock hours	None	2	0	0
49	Pharmacy Technician	44	164	117	500 clock hours	None	1	12	0
50	Massage Therapist	45	335	117	500 clock hours	None	1	0	18
51	Skin Care Specialist	51	353	140	600 clock hours	None	2	0	0
52	School Bus Driver	51	23	5	30 clock hours	None	6	0	18
53	Bus Driver, City/Transit	51	30	0	None	None	5	0	18
54	Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer	51	27	0	None	None	5	0	18
55	Truck Driver, Other	51	27	0	None	None	4	0	18
56	Emergency Medical Technician	51	98	35	150 clock hours	None	2	0	16
57	Gaming Cage Worker	30	536	0	None	None	0	0	21
57	Gaming Dealer	29	536	0	None	None	0	0	21
57	Gaming Supervisor	31	536	0	None	None	0	0	21
57	Slot Supervisor	29	536	0	None	None	0	0	21
61	Auctioneer	28	65	19	80 clock hours	None	1	0	18
62	Manicurist	51	192	35	150 clock hours	None	2	0	0
63	Locksmith	12	75	3	18 clock hours	None	1	0	18
64	Security Guard, Unarmed	34	64	3	18 clock hours	None	1	0	18
65	Weigher	24	25	0	None	None	0	0	18
66	Wildlife Control Operator	23	75	0	None	None	1	0	0
67	Milk Sampler	43	0	0	None	None	1	0	0
68	Fisher, Commercial	43	190	0	None	None	0	0	0
68	Travel Guide	37	190	0	None	None	0	0	0
70	Animal Control Officer	7	0	20	84 clock hours	None	0	0	0
71	Taxidermist	28	40	0	None	None	0	0	0
72	Upholsterer	9	25	0	None	None	0	0	0

Virginia Occupational Licensing

72 out of 102 moderate-income occupations licensed

6th most burdensome licensing laws for moderate-income occupations

Average Fees for Licenses:$319